This week in Nano: Week 14 (March 30th - April 5th)

I have been thinking about how to put together a list of useful Nano resources for those who want to learn more about the fascinating world of Nano. So today I have put together a list of all the online Nano MOOCS (massive open online course) you can do for FREE. I have also created a new tab on the blog called Nano Resources which will be expanding over the weeks. Check it out here.

Learn More about Nano- Online Courses

NanoScéal: Nano Online Courses

Table Header	Table Header	Table Header
Fundamentals of NanoElectronics	Purdue University	https://goo.gl/Ek7uWe
Intro to Graphene Science & Technology	Chalmers University of Technology	https://goo.gl/40XIDE
Mechanical Behavior of Materials	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	https://goo.gl/nDgWxS
Nanotechnology -The Basics	Rice University	https://goo.gl/5s0kuI
Nanotechnology and Nanosensors Technion	Israel Institute of Technology	https://goo.gl/UQh0ZL
Micro/Nano Processing Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	https://goo.gl/d3AWiB
Nano to Macro Transport processes	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	https://goo.gl/6wR5n7
Micro & Nano Technologies	The Open University	https://goo.gl/GEDzcq
Introductory Seminars- What is Nano?	Nanohub.org	https://goo.gl/4KYch3
The Next Big Thing- Nanotechnology	The Open University	https://goo.gl/Odn0Cs
Nanotechnology	University of Nottingham	https://goo.gl/vsEgXb
What is Nanotechnology	Omninano.org	http://goo.gl/SKZM4q
What are Nanomaterials	Omninano.org	http://goo.gl/vqfX32
What is Unique about Nanoscale	Omninano.org	http://goo.gl/VVGqGg
Imaging at the nanoscale	Omninano.org	http://goo.gl/8MJZWP
Properties of Nanomaterials	Omninano.org	http://goo.gl/XsFYtf

This week in Nano (Week 13: 23rd-29th March)

Since leaving the world of academia I am a fan of anything open access (OA) and paywalls have become really annoying. I like to follow the world of open access (OA) and recently found a great blog article on the Green Tea and Velociraptors blog called 'Welcome to Open Access’. The blog is about an awesome resource created to familiarise people with the lingo of open access- the resource is called the Open Glossary and you can find it here.

It got me thinking about a similar resource for Nano. I would love to put one together some day. In the meantime here are some good links for those starting out in the world of Nano:

1: Glossary from the National Nanotechnology Imitative (NNI). The NNI is a U.S. Government research and development (R&D) initiative involving the nanotechnology-related activities of 20 departments and independent agencies: http://www.nano.gov/about-nni/glossary

2: Glossary from Nanotechnology Now (NN). NN is an online resource covering future sciences: http://www.nanotech-now.com/nanotechnology-glossary-N.htm

3: WIKI Books has both a glossary of terms and a glossary of acronyms- very useful.

4: The BAM (German Institute for Materials Research and Testing has put together a glossary of nanotechnology definitions and terminology taken from recently published ISO documents: http://www.nano.bam.de/en/glossar/index.htm#P

This week in Nano: Week 12 (March 16th-22rd)

Nano Silver in Implants- A press release from the NC State Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) describes how researchers there are engineering ways to apply a low-intensity electrical charge to a silver-titanium implant, releasing low-toxicity silver ions that kill or neutralize bacteria. The electrical charge is driven by a small power source and can be integrated into an implant - these orthopedic implants could help reduce infections after surgery and boost recovery times. The study showed a 99% decrease in bacterial growth around implants after 24 hours. Currently looking for paper to link.


The FDA (Food and Drug Administration responsible for regulating medicine and medical devices in the USA) have adopted 3 Nano standards. They relate to:


1. Particle size distribution: Standard Guide For Measurement Of Particle Size Distribution Of Nanomaterials In Suspension By Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS)


2. Characterisation of Gold Nanoparticles. Surface Characterization Of Gold Nanoparticles For NanomaterialSpecific Toxicity Screening: FT-IR Method


3. Handling unbound Nanoparticles: Standard Guide For Handling Unbound Engineered Nanoscale Particles In Occupational Settings

This week in Nano: Week 11 (March 9th-15th)

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) have published the proceedings of a technical interchange meeting held last September entitled “Realizing the Promise of Carbon Nanotubes: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Pathway to Commercialization". The report can be found on their website here. The blog from Frogheart gives it a good overview of the report and is well worth the read.

A research team at Houston Methodist Research Institute successfully used magnetic nanoparticles to destroy blood clots. The study entitled “TPA Immobilization on Iron Oxide Nanocubes and Localized Magnetic Hyperthermia Accelerate Blood Clot Lysis” was published online in Advanced Functional Materials and it reports the 'loading' of magnetic nanoparticles (20 nm clustered iron oxide nanocubes) with drugs (tissue plasminogen activator tPA). The resultant nanomaterial were found capable of dissolving clots 100 to 1,000 times faster (tested in virto) than a commonly used techniques (i.e thrombolytic's). tPA on its own is usually short lived in a patients blood stream and can cause adverse reactions however this study overcomes this by loading the tPA into nanomaterials that are first albumin coated

A trending headline in Nano circles this week is the news that 'Sweet Nanoparticels Target Stroke'. It is referring to a paper published in Experimental Neurology this week called 'Fullerenols and glucosamine fullerenes reduce infarct volume and cerebral inflammation after ischemic stroke in normotensive and hypertensive rats.' (Paywalled). Basically describes how materials resulting from chemical bonding of a sugar with a kind of nanoparticle may help reduce cell damage and inflammation occurring after stroke potentially leading to new drugs for cerebrovascular injury.

This week in Nano: Week 10 (March 2nd-March 8th)

Have an awesome Nano Project that needs cash? Look no further than here for a Beginner’s Guide to EU Funding